Hot Topics:

Heisman or not, Collin Klein already a winner

Posted:
12/06/2012 06:43:18 PM MST

Reporter-Herald Editorial

Rejoice and take pride, Loveland. A native son, Collin Klein, is one of three finalists for college football's most prestigious award, the Heisman Trophy. It's an award given to the best collegiate football player in the nation.

Klein, the starting quarterback for Kansas State, is the main reason his team is 11-1 and will play Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3 in Glendale, Ariz. The 6-foot-5 senior has 2,490 yards passing with 15 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 66 percent. A comparison can be made to former Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, too. He has 894 yards rushing on 194 carries and 22 touchdowns. All told, he's accounted for 37 touchdowns for the Wildcats.

Some will and have asked: How did he escape the notice of his home-state schools, the University of Colorado or Colorado State University? The answer is simple but also complex.

Klein wasn't heavily recruited at Loveland High by most larger universities, let alone by coaches from the Buffs and Rams. He's not a prototypical drop-back passer, and that was what then-new CSU head coach Steve Fairchild craved, although he made a late offer. At CU, former coach Dan Hawkins also was looking for a quarterback to operate in a very different manner, where running would not play a large role. Klein wasn't even brought to Manhattan, Kan., home of Kansas State, as a quarterback; he was slated to be a wide receiver.

What is overlooked by coaches, recruiters and scouts is heart. You can't measure it like you can a 40-yard dash, vertical jump, arm strength or throwing motion. Based on that alone, when you look at the current state of the programs at CU and CSU, a young man like Klein might have gone a long way to right what has gone so wrong.

As for what we do know, it's been a special season for Klein, his K-State team, fans and for this city.

The way Klein conducts himself on the field and off is with a sense of class and pride that often gets pushed aside in this "look at me" culture in sports.

That Klein gets to go to New York on Saturday for the Heisman announcement is an incredible experience for him and his family. To a lesser extent, it is for Loveland as well.

To see this happen to a young man who "gets it" makes it all the more worthy of praise.